Summary

This research project seeks to promote effective long-term community-based management of tropical natural forests through collaborative research on effects of adaptive collaborative management (ACM) approaches, and on strategies and conditions that enable ACM. In Asia, the project is being undertaken in Indonesia, Nepal and the Philippines. The objective of the research project is to identify and enhance adaptive and collaborative management approaches and tools that will promote sustainable forestry practices and forest based livelihood in multistakeholder settings where communities are present. It will also identify policy and institutional constraints and opportunities for such approaches.

Context

In South and Southeast Asia, total forest cover declined by well over a third between 1880 and 1980. Over the last two decades, innovative community-based forest management systems such as participatory forestry have been introduced to improve the well-being of forest dependent people, while reducing forest deforestation and degradation. However, the process of deforestation and degradation of the forest cover is still continuing due to inappropriate economic policies, institutional arrangements and forest practices. This research project seeks to promote effective long-term community-based management of tropical natural forests in selected developing member countries (DMCs) through collaborative research on effects of adaptive collaborative management (ACM) approaches, and on strategies and conditions that enable ACM.

A key underpinning of the ACM research project at the local level is the ACM Main Case Studies, which apply "Participatory Action Research" (PAR) as the key methodology. These studies, which incorporate also extensive background research as well as the local development and application of management tools, will generate data for comparative analysis across the countries.

Three research questions underpin our concept of ACM are:

• Can collaboration among stakeholders in forest management, enhanced by processes of conscious and deliberate social learning, lead both to improved human well-being and to the maintenance of forest cover and diversity? If so, under what conditions?
• What approaches, centred on social learning and colaborative action among diverse stakeholders, can be used to encourage sustainable use and management of forest resources?
• In what ways do the processes and outcomes of ACM affect social, economic, political and ecological functioning and how does this feedback reinforce or weaken forest management? What explains the impacts on people and forests with respect to the different ways that stakeholders act and learn together?

In Asia, the project is being undertaken in partnership with national governments, as well as NGOs and bilateral projects in Indonesia, the Philippines and Nepal. Its timeframe is April 1999 - March 2002, with the funding coming from ADB, CIFOR, IDRC, CIRAD, the PRGA, and USAID (and, hopefully, DfID). These countries were selected to provide a range of community forest management contexts, both from social, policy and biophysical perspectives, as well as the biophysical. Indonesia brings to the research the largest forest area in the Asian region, a large number of forest dependent people, and a high national economic dependence on forestry. The Philippines and Nepal both have over two decades of experience in developing and applying forestry management models based on or around the community, but each country is characterized by different approaches and experiences on which we hope to build. While these countries have experienced successes in implementing their community forestry models, it is widely agreed by policy makers, forest users, and researchers that many key challenges remain, and more are continually emerging. This research project aims to draw on the rich experience of these countries, and on the other hand contribute to enabling the success of the policies on co-management of community based resources.

Objective

The objective of the research project is to identify and enhance adaptive and collaborative management approaches and tools that will promote sustainable forestry practices and forest based livelihoods in multi-stakeholder settings where communities are present. It will also identify policy and institutional constraints and opportunities for such approaches.

One critical tool used during the research is self or collaborative monitoring using a Criteria and Indicators (C&I) type framework. Other tools include Future Scenarios, Multi-Criteria Analysis and Simulation Modeling.

Research Methodology

The research project integrates multi-country comparative analysis of the Main Case studies with further short term field studies, policy studies, and literature reviews.

The Main Case studies use Participatory Action Research (PAR) as the key methodological approach, in order to enable 'innovation' as a part of the research process. Local actors, CIFOR and partner researchers can then catalyze or enhance various strategies for adaptiveness and collaborativeness in forest management. Where there is local actor interest, for example, PAR will be the vehicle for participants, including local actors and researchers, to identify important forestry related issues and opportunities, and to develop or select indicators for the establishment of long-term collaborative forest monitoring systems. In the PAR, the roles of 'research' and 'development' actors are taken on by all participants, including local people and outside researchers.

Research Sites

• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Nepal
• Bolivia